The Duke's choice

Chapter 19

Ashley had heard what Sarah had told Lucy, she was walking in from the library at the time. She was angry that Sarah would say something to Lucy like that. So she immediately found her mother and told her of the exchange. Of course her mother who already loved Lucy, grew angry. She stood just outside the door and listened to her mother give Sarah what for. She couldn't help but giggle at the exchange. Her mother was known for her lashing tongue, she had seen it many times when it came to her brothers.

After her mother walked out, she waved Ashley up the stairs. She knew that she wanted her to go and check on Lucy. She did want to know what was going to be said to her brother. So she waited for her brother to go into the study. She heard it loud and clear that he was picking Lucy! She was so happy, she ran up the stairs toward Lucy's room. She didn't want to ruin the surprise, but if her friend was upset she would tell her. She felt like she was going to bubble over with excitement, she let a giggle out. Of course the passing upstairs maid smiled back at her.

When she came to Lucy's room, she noticed that it was next door to her brother's room. Why was she put so close to her brother? Maybe that was one way of knowing that he had already chose her from the beginning? She could only hope so, she knocked on the door and waited for the maid to open it. Lucy's maid came to the door, she had very kind eyes. " I came as soon as I had heard, I have some news for Lucy. Is she here in her room?" Ashley waited for the maid to permit her in the room.

The maid was about to turn Ashley away when Lucy, whose face was tear stained came to the door. " It's okay Daisy, she can come in." Lucy watched as the maid allowed Ashley into the room. Ashley immediately walked over to Lucy and pulled her into a big hug.

" Oh Lucy, I am so sorry that Sarah was so mean to you. Don't worry but she should be packing her trunks right about now to leave our property." Ashley felt her heart break at the sound of the sobs coming from Lucy. Her brother had actually hurt her, he was always doing stupid things. Her father said it was because boys were stupid, they didn't think of what their actions brought.

Lucy blew her nose into her hanky," I don't want to be the reason that your brother looses his future bride. I think it's best if I should leave and go back to my life at my grandparents estate." Lucy never cried so hard in her life, she was in love with Grayson. He made it clear at dinner tonight that he didn't reciprocate those feelings. She couldn't be here to witness his announcement of who he was to take as his bride.

She almost thought it was going to be her, boy was she the fool. She should have known that he was to pick Sarah. He hardly ever really spent any time to get to know her better. He always had Sarah on his arm, so what was she to believe? Grayson was her soul mate, this much she knew. She just didn't understand why he didn't see that fact? She really didn't know much about boys, since most of her cousins were girls.

Ashley giggled, " I can promise you that you won't  be ruining any chances of Grayson getting his bride. This I know that my brother would never allow, in fact he was in the study with mother. He was telling her who he wanted to be his bride. I have my hopes of it being you, but my father always told me boys are stupid."  Ashley felt so giddy, she wanted to tell her who her brother picked to be his wife. It was not her place to, besides she needed to get to Grayson before he came here to ruin his chances. She knew that if he showed up right now, Lucy would deny him.